Do you have to? Well, I know others have talked to the ATF and were told they did. I have a letter saying I don't have to. Now it is an old letter. Can they change the rules to suit them, .....I don't know.

Again, should you....HELL yes.

__________________
One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.

I just paid for and sent the paperwork for a SBR this afternoon. I specifically asked about engraving the lower and the dealer said that I shouldn't have to unless the ATF specifically requested that I do it in a letter before I can get approved.

Yes, it needs to be engraved.

__________________
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

I just paid for and sent the paperwork for a SBR this afternoon. I specifically asked about engraving the lower and the dealer said that I shouldn't have to unless the ATF specifically requested that I do it in a letter before I can get approved.

Yes it needs to.I have two that I form-1 and I had to engrave and one I bought from a individual that has his info engraved.I have a also talked to two agents that were doing a inspection of a local classIII dealer a d both said yes to engraving.

I just joined the site here but saw this thread and since I just got my form 1 back a few weeks ago I thought I would throw out what the ATF examiner told me about engraving. He said to put the name of my trust and city and state in 4H since I am using a trust and then have only that info engraved. I used Ident Marking for the service, very fast turn around.

Should you? Yes, you should. You should use the company's serial number on your form and then you only have to engrave your information.

Do you have to? Well, I know others have talked to the ATF and were told they did. I have a letter saying I don't have to. Now it is an old letter. Can they change the rules to suit them, .....I don't know.
Again, should you....HELL yes.

BTW, I am making the assumption that the lower you are talking about is an AR-15. So the lower IS the gun. If this is an UZI or FN-FAL or .....where the lower is not the gun, then engrave the gun part.

__________________
One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.

If you make an NFA firearm It must have your name, city, state and a unique Serial Number.

Correct. If you file an ATF Form 1 to make an NFA firearm (such as an SBR), then you are the MAKER, and your info needs to be engraved. Here is the applicable reg.

Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

§ 479.102 How must firearms be identified?

(a) You, as a manufacturer, importer, or maker of a firearm, must legibly identify the firearm as follows:

(1) By engraving, casting, stamping (impressing), or otherwise conspicuously placing or causing to be engraved, cast, stamped (impressed) or placed on the frame or receiver thereof an individual serial number. The serial number must be placed in a manner not susceptible of being readily obliterated, altered, or removed, and must not duplicate any serial number placed by you on any other firearm. For firearms manufactured, imported, or made on and after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting, or stamping (impressing) of the serial number must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size no smaller than 1/16 inch; and

(2) By engraving, casting, stamping (impressing), or otherwise conspicuously placing or causing to be engraved, cast, stamped (impressed), or placed on the frame, receiver, or barrel thereof certain additional information. This information must be placed in a manner not susceptible of being readily obliterated, altered or removed. For firearms manufactured, imported, or made on and after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting, or stamping (impressing) of this information must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch. The additional information includes:

(i) The model, if such designation has been made;

(ii) The caliber or gauge;

(iii) Your name (or recognized abbreviation) and also, when applicable, the name of the foreign manufacturer or maker;

(iv) In the case of a domestically made firearm, the city and State (or recognized abbreviation thereof) where you as the manufacturer maintain your place of business, or where you, as the maker, made the firearm; and

(v) In the case of an imported firearm, the name of the country in which it was manufactured and the city and State (or recognized abbreviation thereof) where you as the importer maintain your place of business. For additional requirements relating to imported firearms, see Customs regulations at 19 CFR part 134.

(b) The depth of all markings required by this section will be measured from the flat surface of the metal and not the peaks or ridges. The height of serial numbers required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section will be measured as the distance between the latitudinal ends of the character impression bottoms (bases).

(c) The Director may authorize other means of identification upon receipt of a letter application from you, submitted in duplicate, showing that such other identification is reasonable and will not hinder the effective administration of this part.

(d) In the case of a destructive device, the Director may authorize other means of identifying that weapon upon receipt of a letter application from you, submitted in duplicate, showing that engraving, casting, or stamping (impressing) such a weapon would be dangerous or impracticable.

(e) A firearm frame or receiver that is not a component part of a complete weapon at the time it is sold, shipped, or otherwise disposed of by you must be identified as required by this section.

(f)(1) Any part defined as a machine gun, muffler, or silencer for the purposes of this part that is not a component part of a complete firearm at the time it is sold, shipped, or otherwise disposed of by you must be identified as required by this section.

(2) The Director may authorize other means of identification of parts defined as machine guns other than frames or receivers and parts defined as mufflers or silencers upon receipt of a letter application from you, submitted in duplicate, showing that such other identification is reasonable and will not hinder the effective administration of this part.

I check on mine after about 4 months to make sure they are in the system. After that, I probably will wait until 8 months or so to call again.

Ditto. I haven't called yet about my two Form 1's mailed in October. They did cash my checks, so I'm not too concerned. I called a little more frequently when I had a pending Form 4 from an out-of-town individual seller. Since the Form 4 goes to the person selling and not to the buyer, your only way to know it's come in is if the seller lets you know.... hence I checked with the ATF.

Now that I think about it. I'm probably not going to bother calling them about my two pending Form 1's. Already have an SBR lower, so I'm in no rush. Would be different if I was waiting on a MG or a new suppressor.